Newton Lamar

Newton Lamar (November 12, 1928-September 6, 1989) was elected
as President of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes from July
1974-July 1978; July 1978-July 1982; and July 1982-July 1986.

(This information below was compiled by his wife, Catherine
Lamar, for the 2008 Wichita Annual Dance)program)

Mr. Newton Lamar was born November 12, 1928, southeast of
Gracemont, Okla., on November 12, 1928. He was reared by his
full-blood grandparents, Walter and Hushseah Lamar. He spoke the
Wichita language fluently and was also cognizant of tribal
traditions and customs. Newton attended Riverside Indian School
until his enlistment in the Air Force in 1946 and served during the
duration of World War II and the Korean Conflict. He was with the
Strategic Air Command as a Staff Sergeant, which was a very
prestigious branch of the Air Force at that time. After his
discharge from the armed forces, he attended Oklahoma
A&M-Okmulgee, Okla., and later the Police Academy at the
University of Wyoming, where in the late 1960's he attained he
highest composite score to that date.

Newton was in field of Law Enforcement from 1956 to January 1965
and worked in Montana, Wyoming and New Mexico. He accepted a
position with the Navajo Tribe as their Public Relations director,
which afforded him valuable experiences and opportunities. His goal
had always been to return to Oklahoma where he could be involved
with his tribe. He moved to Anadarko, Oklahoma in January 1971
along with his family. His time was devoted and focused on tribal
business. He was elected Vice-President of the Wichita Tribe in
1972 and then President in 1974. He held the office until 1987.
During his tenure, he accomplished much.

In 1973, Newton and Myles Stephenson negotiated with the Caddo
and Delaware Tribes for the ten acres that is now the Wichita
Tribal Park. The land was cleared, and the first structure was the
Tribal Activity Building, which was constructed with donations and
fund-raising events by the Wichita Service Club. Helen Stephenson
was President at the time. The labor was all by volunteers-Myles
Stephenson, Newton and Walter Lamar, Ike Gabbard, Jo-Jo Lane,
"Odie" Standing, Charles Stephenson, Virgil Swift, Jack Sheyahshe,
Kenneth Stephenson, Sy Luther, Ernie Ross, "Bunny" Ross and others.
Frankie Galindo was Newton's right-hand man. The dance arbor was
erected, and the first Wichita Annual Dance was in 1975, with Jo-Jo
Lane and Myles Stephenson as the coordinators. The Activity
Building and Arbor were blessed with many prayers-Max Thomas, Ethel
Wheeler, Flora Gabbard, Helen Querdibitty, Mae Davis, Vangie and
Evelyn French, Eunice Swift and daughters Vera, Armalene and
Novalene, Bertha Provost, Ella Stephenson, George and Amelia Bates,
Emma Curleychief and others. There was much enthusiasm and pride
among the tribal members, because they had their own place to
gather for Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthday celebrations, pow-wows
and dances to honor servicemen when they returned home. In 1978,
the Administration Building was built with federal grants obtained
through Newton's efforts.

Newton assisted with pictures and information to W.W. Newcomb,
who wrote the bookThe People Called Wichita, published in July
1976. He asked by the editor, John Griffin, to autograph 1500
copies. A commemorative medallion was included, and Newton assisted
with the design. It is no longer produced by the U.S. Mint.

Newton was instrumental in the formulation of WCD Enterprises
along with other Wichita tribal members and the Caddo and Delaware
tribes. WCD was established for economic development purposes.
Other than his role as President of the Wichita Tribe, he was
employed as the executive director of the WCD enterprises from
1974-1977. An important development was the construction of the
large office building, which was leased to the Bureau of Indian
Affairs and was then the Area office. Funding for this was through
the Office of Economic Development and ONEP in Washington, D.C. It
entailed much effort to receive these grants, but no loan was
needed for construction. It was the first endeavor in this area,
but then other tribes followed suit. It was his plan and vision to
have a hotel, convention center, grocery store and restaurant, but
it did not become a reality after he was no longer the executive
director.

The most important accomplishment was his involvement and work
with the Wichita Claim. When he became Vice-President of the
Wichita Tribe in 1972 and President in 1974, he began researching
and learned that the Wichita Tribe did not file its claim for lands
taken before August 13, 1951, which was the cut-off date. The only
way they could file was to have a law enacted by the U.S.
Congress.

Newton, Myles Stephenson and other tribal officials were in
touch with Omer Luellen, an attorney in Hinton, Okla., and he
agreed to prepare legislation authorizing the Wichita and
Affiliated Tribes to file with the Indian Claim Commission for
taking of its lands-81,000,000 acres in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
A bill was introduced into the U.S. Congress in 1977 by Senator
Dewey Bartlett of Oklahoma and Congressman Tom Steed of Oklahoma,
giving jurisdiction to hear the Claims of the Wichita Tribe. It was
then that Newton Lamar, Myles Stephenson and other tribal members
such as Frank Miller and Newton Rose, along with their attorney
John Montgomery, lobbied Congressmen, Senators and other important
officials. Newton wore out a pair of shoes walking the halls of
Congress lobbying for the Wichita to have their day in court.

The bill was passed in March 21, 1978 as Public Law 95-247.
Newton testified in person before both the Senate and House of
Representatives. The final law was signed by President Carter. The
bill gave jurisdiction to the Court of Indian Claims Commission to
hear and adjudicate the claim of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes
against the U.S. government. This petition was filed in July 1978
by attorney John Montgomery and started the judicial process. The
following are quotes from a letter written to Newton by attorney
Montgomery on July 10, 1978:

"The passage of the law P.L. 95-247 on March 21, 1978 was a
landmark in the Indian claims law. The Wichita Tribe became the
first tribe to be allowed to file a new land claim in twenty-seven
years. In discussing our success with Congressmen, Senators, BIA
officials and Justice Department attorneys, they all credit the
personal appearance of you and other tribal members at the
Congressional hearings and private meetings as a major reason for
the passage the new law. The manner in which you conducted your
presentations and representing the Tribe was outstanding and very
critical to our success. As you know we made a new Indian law with
our legislation-a difficult thing to do in Washington with the
present backlash."

After this petition to the Indian Court of Claims was filed, it
required much work in collecting and explaining the evidence with
testimonies from tribal members, and particularly expert witness
W.W. Newcomb. It was a tough trial. It was settled, and
appropriations were made by the U.S. government. A per-capita was
distributed for the aboriginal claim to the enrolled Wichita Tribal
members in June 1986, and those under age eighteen had his or her
per-capita deposited in the IIM accounts. Twenty percent of the
claim was set aside for Wichita Tribal Operations.

There were no salaries for the tribal officials during this
period, so what Newton accomplished was more or less a volunteer
effort. The tribe had a small budget, but officials were only
allowed travel funds.

In 1983, Newton Lamar, Roger Jourdain of the Red Lake Ojibwa in
Minnesota and Wendell Chino of the Mescalero Apache in New Mexico
were considered the three most outstanding tribal chairmen in the
U.S. He was not only known on the local level but was well
respected on the national level. He was very vocal in advocating
for the rights of Indian people, particularly with the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service and was most knowledgeable
about land, oil and gas. During his tenure as a Tribal Official, he
served as an Area Vice-President of the National Congress of
American Indians, President of the National Chairmen's Association,
Board of Directors for ASCOG in Oklahoma, executive board member of
the Oklahoma Area Health Advisory Board for thirty-six tribes, and
Chairman of the United Tribes of Western Oklahoma and Kansas that
included twenty-three tribes. Newton Lamar was a man of vision and
determination. He was also known as an eloquent public speaker.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine; children, Walter of
Washington, D.C., Marsha of Washington state, and Judith and Regina
of Anadarko; his grandchildren Wasey, Cody, Krisha, Mikayla,
Kateri, Jon, Levi, Jacey, and Rocke; two great-grandchildren,
Shaniah and Mike; sisters Doris, Tisha and Marjorie. He was
survived by his mother, Mae Davis, until 1997. Newton Lamar passed
from this life September 6, 1989.